Languages

[JediOre]

Good morning,

In the Beta rules one of the languages mentioned, in passing, is sphinx, veiled Egyptian. However, this language does not appear in the finished project.

I'm curious why? Egyptian hieroglyphics are certainly old school S&S.

[Harley Stroh]

Because we're waiting for the 3pp sourcebook on it, obviously.

//H

[mythfish]

Ooh, I'm on it.

[finarvyn]

An interesting take on languages can be found in Burroughs' Mars series. On Barsoom there is a single common spoken language but each city has its own written language.

Not very realistic from a historical Earth standpoint, but kind of neat for a fantasy world. This get rid of the "we hit town but can't understand the natives" problem but still gives the players the challenge of "we can't read the map or scroll."

[SYKOJAK]

I would say that any Culture, be it Fantasy Or Reality, would have its own Dialect if not language. Just looking at humanity over the ages alone how many languages have been invented and put into useage? Countless in my opinion. So I would give that, any Culture would have its own language. And any subculture within that civilization, (or near proximity thereof,) would have its own dialect of the main language.

Just think about how all of the immigrants here to the USA over the centuries, have made all sorts of dialects of the "Queen's English?"

[Raven_Crowking]

An interesting take on languages can be found in Burroughs' Mars series. On Barsoom there is a single common spoken language but each city has its own written language.

Not very realistic from a historical Earth standpoint, but kind of neat for a fantasy world. This get rid of the "we hit town but can't understand the natives" problem but still gives the players the challenge of "we can't read the map or scroll."

In Burroughs, this is because of Martian telepathy; telepathy helps with spoken language because you are communicating directly with a living mind. Written language, however, is not affected. Thus, writing is developed independently several times on Barsoom, but speech is simply an aid to telepathic communication.

John Carter is unique in that, while he is telepathically receptive, he can make his mind opaque to others in a way most Martians cannot.

[finarvyn]

An interesting take on languages can be found in Burroughs' Mars series. On Barsoom there is a single common spoken language but each city has its own written language.

Not very realistic from a historical Earth standpoint, but kind of neat for a fantasy world. This get rid of the "we hit town but can't understand the natives" problem but still gives the players the challenge of "we can't read the map or scroll."

In Burroughs, this is because of Martian telepathy; telepathy helps with spoken language because you are communicating directly with a living mind. Written language, however, is not affected. Thus, writing is developed independently several times on Barsoom, but speech is simply an aid to telepathic communication.

John Carter is unique in that, while he is telepathically receptive, he can make his mind opaque to others in a way most Martians cannot.

This is exactly true, but my point wasn't to explain it as much as to toss it out as an interesting idea.

[Raven_Crowking]

An interesting take on languages can be found in Burroughs' Mars series. On Barsoom there is a single common spoken language but each city has its own written language.

Not very realistic from a historical Earth standpoint, but kind of neat for a fantasy world. This get rid of the "we hit town but can't understand the natives" problem but still gives the players the challenge of "we can't read the map or scroll."

In Burroughs, this is because of Martian telepathy; telepathy helps with spoken language because you are communicating directly with a living mind. Written language, however, is not affected. Thus, writing is developed independently several times on Barsoom, but speech is simply an aid to telepathic communication.

John Carter is unique in that, while he is telepathically receptive, he can make his mind opaque to others in a way most Martians cannot.

This is exactly true, but my point wasn't to explain it as much as to toss it out as an interesting idea.

Well, then, here's another page from Burroughs, and a good Appendix N vibe as well:

If you don't know what lurks out there, neither can you learn its language. ERB's heroes didn't step off the truck (space ship/astral projection/riverboat) knowing the local languages, but most of his heroes have a real knack for picking them up quickly. I would allow unused language slots be available for learning a new language in a matter of weeks, ala the Appendix N heroes we all know and love.

Thus, Tarzan has little difficulty learning French, English, or the languages of Pellucidar or Pal-ul-don, and Carson can easily pick up the languages of Venus.

Just a thought.


RC